


Stand and Fight

by asllapiscu



Series: Ceremonious [3]
Category: Kamen Rider Build
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Gen, actually not all of us, i'm not going to explain myself for this just take it, spoilers for ep 35+, the major character death is tagged because... there's 4 deaths mentioned here., we're all mages now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 16:02:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14814479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asllapiscu/pseuds/asllapiscu
Summary: Fundamentally, he had felt they were similar - or at least, experienced similar things. Becoming products of war by choice isn't something common from what Kazumi has seen, let alone acquiring powers from "unnatural" means. So he'll be the first to admit, even if just a little bit, he can sympathize with Gentoku Himuro.But all he can do is wait, and well, tell Sawa about it.





	Stand and Fight

Kazumi felt exhausted. With everything that has occured today weighing heavily on his mind, he couldn’t help but take advantage of the empty potion shop to make himself more comfortable on the bed in the study. Everyone’s out - probably looking for Banjou. He feels guilty not doing the same, but his limbs ache and his energy is completely drained. That’s what he gets for challenging another mage for closure.

_“I won. I call the shots now.”_

_“What do you want?”_

_“Work with us.”_

Thinking back on it now, maybe he was being too ambitious. Admitting to a man that he’ll never forgive for the death of his comrade to join the same side he’s on? Maybe Sento had a point in calling him an idiot sometimes.

But he’ll be the first to admit that Gentoku on their side would prove useful. The man had already lost everything, including his way. Kazumi could sympathize to that. With the council having taken over his village, him having to hide out in what used to be enemy territory, and losing the only family he’s ever known to the war - the feelings of regret and hopelessness are similar. The only difference between the two right now, is that Kazumi is willing to continue to fight and get stronger to take back everything that’s his. Gentoku, however, seems burdened by the sins he’s committed and haunted by a ghost that now lingers before him. Whether or not he can move forward from his past is entirely on him.

For right now, Kazumi needs to focus on himself and the rest of the team. He needs to heal his wounds from the fight he started earlier, and attempt some rest before going out to help the others search for Banjou. He then realizes he made a mistake by laying down first before gathering the healing supplies, as now he has to get back up to look for them. Groaning, Kazumi manages to reculantly remove himself from the comfort of the bed, feeling the soreness seep back into his body. He won’t admit it outloud, but he won’t deny that he might have overdone it a little with his rune.

As he walks out of the study towards the storefront, he begins fiddling with it. Born without the ability to wield magic, this rune provided Kazumi with the power to at least try to protect those he cares about. An “unnatural,” he’s heard Stalk say before. Because otherwise, he’d just be a “natural” human, probably dead from the dangers of this war. His farm not just drying up, but would have been taken by force as resource. His workers - his _family_ \- either taken as well or killed on the spot. No, why would he continue a life of a “natural” human if it meant guaranteeing their safety?

Kazumi rubs the rune a last time before leaving his belt alone as he reaches the storefront. He doesn’t want to think of “what if’s,” it’s pointless. He’s already in this reality, and doing the most he can with it. He’d only be putting himself in the same position that Gentoku’s in if he stays stuck on the things he couldn’t or wouldn’t do. He can only keep moving forward - they all need to.

Kazumi rummages through shelves of potions and knick knacks trying to remember where anything is. He hadn’t really needed healing potions or medicine when he first started staying here, so this endeavor only proves to be more difficult than necessary. If only Misora were here, her voice alone could heal all the aches and pains but also heal his worried heart. Yes, he can see it now, Misora letting him rest on her lap as she sings to him with her powers, and then she’ll come to love him too just as much as he loves her -

But then Kazumi is brought out of those thoughts when he hears the door to the shop open. He turns around, hopeful that maybe Misora read his mind and his heart, wishing her to come back home safely and heal him. Yet when he came to face who’d come in, it was only Sawa. He does his best to not show a frown. At least with her here, he can use this chance to find what he needs.

“Oy, Sawa, where do these guys keep their medicines and healing junk?”

“Kazumin? I thought you were out scouting with the others…”

“I had other business to take care of,” his tone drops to the same shield he wore around his fallen comrades. It’s not so much that Kazumi is trying to hide any part of himself to the Touto mages, but… The image of the Grease mage from Hokuto, he wants to hold onto that, even if just a while longer. “Could you help me out?”

“Oh, yes. I think Misora keeps her herbs in the back corner…” Kazumi watches Sawa mutter to herself as she wanders off away from him. He didn’t have the chance to check around every spot of the shop, but he’s glad that at least Sawa has a better idea than him. “Did you get into a fight?”

“You could say that.”

“No, I need you to be clear. Do you have wounds? Fatigue?”

“Soreness, and probably fatigue. Standing’s a pain right now.”

“Well, don’t push yourself. Did you run into a smash? You need to be more careful.”

“No. I fought Rogue.”

Sawa’s hand is hovering over a bottle to grab, but she stops when she hears the name. Kazumi notices the shift in her mood, how her movements become stiff and slow when she turns to face him.

“Kazumin… What happened?”

“Needed to get revenge for Akaba, that’s all,” Kazumi keeps his tone calm as he walks over to Sawa, grabbing the bottle in her hand. A healing balm, that’ll do for now. “And I won. So I asked him to join us.”

“You did _what_?!” Sawa’s voice sounds nervous, and he can tell she doesn’t seem to like the idea of Gentoku possibility being on their side. “ _Rogue_? The same mage who ran off to Seito and - ”

“Gentoku Himuro. A man who’s lost everything with no path to follow anymore. He’s strong, he’s useful.”

“But you just said you fought him for revenge… Kazumin, that doesn’t make sense.”

“I’ll never forgive him for killing a comrade. And to be honest, I still haven’t fully forgiven Sento either,” Kazumi’s voice drops to barely a whisper now, walking over to a stool by the shop counter. He sits himself there, opening the balm to apply, and looks back to Sawa. She’s wearing a frown and almost looks disappointed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not on his side. I know if I had killed Sento or Banjou, neither would be quick to forgive me either. War is war. We’re all fighting for the same goals and ideals… I think Gentoku is too.”

“Are we sure we’re talking about the same person? He was the one who was in charge with the imprisonment and experimentation of mages. He got banished for a reason -”

“War changes people,” Kazumi cuts in, surprising Sawa. He applies the balm to affected areas, and tries not to flinch or let any noises out as he feels the stings and pain. The fatigue is coming back at full force, making him wish for nothing more than to go back to the bed and sleep. But here he is, defending the Rogue mage, he could almost laugh. “I’m not justifying his actions or excusing his sins. The man is held back by them himself, he recognizes he’s done wrong. But there’s a reason he took on these powers, and for old man Himuro to entrust him on reforming the council. If you really think about it, he’s not much different from us.”

“Kazumin…”

“Just like all of us, his intentions were good, but executed wrong. There are no such things like right or wrong answers in war. He needs to see that too. So why not work with us?” When he finishes, he closes the bottle of balm and walks back over to Sawa. He hands it back to her, placing his hands on his belt, nearly gripping his rune. “If we’re all working for the same goal… for love and peace… It wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

Kazumi pats Sawa’s shoulder, turning around to head back to the study. He can hear her following him, but chooses not to make a comment on it. He can only assume that what he said is probably still sinking in - it is a lot to swallow, he supposes. But it’s what he feels, and believes. Gentoku, just like Kazumi himself, is just another product of war. Two “unnaturals” merely trying to protect what matters most to them.

_“When I become stronger, I do it for my people! Why do you get stronger?! Do you have something like that?!”_

_“... I…”_

_Grease doesn’t hesitate, regardless of Rogue’s features crumbling as he drops to the ground on his knees. Grease can’t hold back, he warned Rogue that he was going to give this fight his all. So he prepares his final spell, and it hits Rogue directly. His form begins to disappear, leaving behind only Gentoku, who looks wildly confused but… tormented._

_It’s the look on his face that says it all for Kazumi._

“Sawa,” Kazumi begins once they reach the study. He lays back down on the bed, looking towards her. “You gather information, right? Get me some on Gentoku.”

“Are you sure? I think we need to focus more on Banjou -”

“I know Sento can handle it. Sento would go to the gates of hell if it meant bringing Banjou back. I think we can spare some time to do a little extra research on who exactly Gentoku Himuro is.”

“Kazumin, I think you need to rest. When you wake up, we’ll discuss it.”

“Get me that info Sawa, I mean it,” he points a finger at her, trying to emphasize his point. If she can gather information for Sento and Misora, why couldn’t she do it for him just this once? “I can’t do it in my sleep.”

“... Right. Okay,” Sawa tries to put on a smile as she nods, but he knows she’s not happy with this. Gentoku wasn’t his councilman, Kazumi wasn’t here for the crimes he committed to his own citizens. So maybe he’s going too far on a limb for Gentoku. But the only things he knows about him are of what the team has relayed to him, and from what he’s seen himself. If his hunch is anything go off on… It could work out in their favor. “Just stay here and rest okay? Sento and Misora should be back soon.”

“Ahhh, maybe she’ll sing to me in my sleep…”

“I wouldn’t be so hopeful, Kazumin,” Sawa’s tone sounds playful, but he can tell she’s anxious. He’ll make it up to her later, for going through this trouble. “Tell the others I’ll be back soon then.”

“Yes ma’am,” he calls out with a yawn, making himself comfortable on the bed once more. Drifting into sleep, all Kazumi can seem to recall is the look on Gentoku’s face from the end of their battle and how it made him feel something strange.

_“I’m a man who’s committed too many sins and can’t atone for them. Why do you want me on your side?”_

_Kazumi stares at Gentoku for maybe a minute too long, before looking away, right at the makeshift grave he made for his comrades. The pieces of torn robes, representing each one, dance with the wind as Kazumi takes a deep breath. He ignores his shaking hands and balls them into fists._

_“We lost everything. But you still have a village. If I were you, I’d stand back up and fight for it, regardless of how much blood is drenched on my hands. That’s just how it should be._

_“So stand up and fight too. Work with us… It doesn’t have to be right away. We’ll be waiting."_

**Author's Note:**

> i had to write something to cope with what happened in the latest episode but i didn't expect this. but here we are. i honestly can't explain, but, talk to me abt build on twitter (mythxl) or tumblr (myth-al) bc honestly i'm Dying


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